Small handheld or portable battery-powered devices are becoming ever more prevalent. These devices include cell phones, cameras, electronic games, radios, TVs, flashlights, GPS, receivers, recording and playback devices, etc. In many cases, such devices are powered by one or more batteries of the rechargeable type.
The main disadvantage of such battery powered devices is that external power to recharge the batteries is not always available. For example, one of the biggest markets for cell phones is in so-called third world countries, many of which do not have a good network of telephone landlines. However, those countries are just as likely to not have a reliable electrical network for distributing power to people's homes and businesses. Therefore, in order to recharge the batteries of their cell phones, users are often required to so do at a central location that does have electrical power, which is an inconvenience to the users. Even in developed countries, there are situations in which a device user may find him or herself without power, e.g. while camping, sailing, skiing, etc., or without the ability to plug in a charger, e.g. while on a plane or attending a long meeting.
Accordingly, it would be desireable to be able to have a handheld electronic device whose battery may be recharged without the benefit of electrical power from an external source.